Monthly Archives: September 2014

The months, weeks and days leading up to your wedding can be an emotional roller coaster. You want to savor each moment of the planning, but you are trying to get to the anticipated morning after, knowing you have begun your adventure with your husband. Michelle is a friend of ours here at Méldeen.

Her words always make us reach deep in ourselves and reflect the areas we haven’t come to terms with. be inspired by her personal day-of journey and follow her on her blog.

The Best Wedding Gift I Gave Myself

Michelle Pimm

Once the ring was on my finger something changed. In that memorable blur-of-a-moment I was suddenly no longer someone’s girlfriend. I was his fiancé. And six months later, I would be his wife. An entire network of friends and family found out and everything changed. It alarmed me. It thrilled me. More so, it made me nervous to lose my last name. A name that I had written down countless times in my life. I’m an avid follower of tradition but this decision did not come easy. In my mind, taking his last name meant I’d be losing a bit of myself and all the years it took to love the name and person behind it. A new name also meant that I’d be a wife. The pressure of getting that right also seemed daunting. By no means did I have a signature dish and plants lasted mere days under my watch.

In the months leading up to my wedding, I became obsessed with the thought of pleasing everyone. Family members bombard me with suggestions and request to have relatives attend my union that I hadn’t seen in decades. Small details suddenly became large decisions. There were opinions. So, so many opinions. Thoughts of taking my husbands name lingered in the back of my head. I knew how much it meant to him, but I had to be okay with the resolution. So I made my last decision. It was to enjoy the process and overcome pressure of pleasing others.

It might have been best wedding gift I gave myself. I knew in my heart that everyone meant well. Everyone wants us to be happy. This big event is really about two people. Us. Getting married. It was that simple.

So I decided to let the pressure go to enjoy the moments.

I married the guy that slipped a ring on my finger in that blurry moment. And I took his name because I wanted to. I knew I was the same girl. Another ring was slipped on my finger and everything changed and it was perfect.

Describe your creative process:

I start with thinking of the big picture. Who is going to see my content, what does it need to say, where is it going, and why would someone relish it… Boom! I have my goals, and I ultimately want my work to not only represent myself well but to express all wishes of the client. Of course, my creative process is far from perfect and definitely messy, but that is what White Out is for!

What was Your most unforgettable Méldeen experience?

The morning of our Austin event, Kaleigh and I managed to fit “Méldeen” letter balloons in her tiny, (but darling) mini cooper. We were so impressed that we didn’t lose any of the balloons! Yet, when walking them into the hotel, we slowly watched the “L” float up into the trees. Thank goodness the number “7” balloon at Party City was a close match!

What do you love most about Austin?

The constant buzz! Where else can you find live music, South Congress bridge bats, and people who claim they “work” running around Town Lake at 1 PM? I’m in love. The drive that people have is inspiring and contagious.

What, in your words, is the vision of Méldeen?

Méldeen strives to deliver an exceptional experience throughout every aspect of the bride and grooms’ wedding plans. Creating your invitations, from save-the-dates to post wedding essentials, while connecting ideas and taste is vital. Méldeen’s mantra? Handmade means luxury.

If you had a list of “Best Kept Secrets”, which would you include?

Always check the guest list twice, press “Command S” to save workboards as often as you can, and always have a note pad ready for ideas. Oh, and don’t get a manicure until after assembly days.

Xx,

Meredith

Many couples find celebrating with their nearest and dearest with a divine meal, and a quaint celebration is the best way to revel in their wedding day without feeling the stress of a large gathering – Because Going small has it’s perks! One of our favorite spaces in Austin is the Hotel St. Cecillia. The moment you walk on their grounds, the smell of incense and the soft sounds of a record player are a welcoming and warm. The large oak trees make you feel right at home. Although we would like to keep this location our own personal secret, it sure can’t be hidden! We have asked the special Events coordinator, Emily WaldmaNn to share what she feels is the beauty & benefits of a small event.

An “intimate” wedding can mean anything from 6 guests, to 60, depending on a variety of factors, especially if both the bride and groom come from large families. Planning a wedding is such an exciting time, and it can feel like you want to include the world (and their plus one) in the festivities, however I am a huge advocate for small weddings.

When the guest count is smaller, you have more time to focus on individualizing the experience for each special person who makes the cut with an invite. You are also less likely to offend those who you may not want to invite—a distant cousin is less likely to take it personally if your guest list is limited to 20, whereas if you invite 200, they may feel snubbed. This leaves more space in budget to focus on the quality of the experience, whether that is an amazing personalized menu created specifically for your guests, beautiful floral arrangements with garden roses abounding, or your favorite band playing acoustically for your first dance as man and wife. Whatever makes you two click as a couple, you have more room to focus on conveying that to your guests.

There will no doubt be amazing food, beautiful flowers and décor, and entertainment abounding, but I always try and remind clients of who the two most important invitees are: The Bride and Groom (and the photographer to capture it all). As guest counts swell, weddings can start to feel more like a production, and less like a celebration of love. Ultimately the day is about you two, and everything else is meant to enhance that special connection.

Because Austin is the live music capital of the world, I liken the experience to a show: of course it’s amazing to see your favorite act at ACL Main Stage with a screaming crowd and pyrotechnics, but years from now, it’s seeing them play an unexpected secret show up close and personal at the Continental Club that will still have you talking.

When you plan a wedding, you are creating an experience for your guests. From invitation to thank you cards, you are making a statement as a couple for what you value and what represents you.

This week, we are thrilled to have a guest post from one of our treasured summer interns. She has blossomed into an amazing designer, landed an amazing job post-college, and is an amazing budding calligrapher. We wanted to share her insight on Calligraphy, and its value to wedding invites. Follow her scribbles on instagram! Love and miss you Erin!

Up until very recently, I only had the foggiest idea as to what calligraphy actually was. However, thanks to life altering sites like Pinterest and Instagram, I discovered modern calligraphy and hand lettering and was immediately hooked. I happily embarked on a new obsession/hobby with no looking back.

Now when I think of calligraphy, the first word that comes to mind is “human.” We live in such a digital world, where everything is cookie cutter and mass produced. Personal communication and handwritten notes are a thing of the past, and it’s rare to come across something as intimate as a handwritten note. Calligraphy is an art form with roots that spans centuries of personal communication, and I love being a small part of keeping it alive.

Far from being limited to stodgy old documents and certificates, calligraphy is incredibly versatile and there are endless variations and possibilities! One can distinctly set a particular mood or create a desired style using just a few carefully placed lines. The personality of a bride and the essence her special day can shine through this beautiful art form, whether vintage or romantic, classic or modern. With a trained hand, the shapes of the letters themselves come together to tell a story just as clear as the words they form.

Weddings are fundamentally about people, two people making a lifelong commitment to each other. This is why calligraphy is the perfect medium for communicating in a heartfelt and personal way, the joyful celebration of a new future of two individuals, built on beautiful traditions of the past.